Marcus Aurelius was born in Rome, Italy. He ruled as a Roman Emperor for nearly two decades and his reign was characterized by the devotion to his people. He was best known for his philosophical work “Meditations”, a series of challenging spiritual reflections and thoughts developed as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Marcus Aurelius was the last of the rulers known as the “Five Good Emperors” and also the last emperor of the Pax Romana, a period of peace and stability for the Roman Empire. The philosopher king died from unknown causes at the age of 58. After his death, he was immediately deified and his ashes rested in Hadrian’s mausoleum.